Recently, a system is prevalent for digitalizing a television signal and transmitting the signal via a satellite such as a broadcasting satellite and a communication satellite and for receiving the signal at a remote location, such as a household. In such a system it is possible to secure or access, for example, approximately 200 channels. Thus it is possible to broadcast an extremely large amount of information.
However, when the switching of the received frequency and image decoding processing by, for example, a MPEG decoder is initiated after the user's select key operation, a desired received image will be displayed after time required for the synchronization and decoding processing has elapsed. Further, when the number of channels which can be received increase the channel is frequently switched until the program (channel) received by the user is determined so that when it takes time for synchronization and decoding processing for each switching of channels. This delay in actually receiving data can be the source of frustration for users.
Further, in addition to the aforementioned problem of response time, if the operation for switching channels is complicated, it becomes even more difficult to switch channels swiftly.